Retailers last year boosted their store productivity levels nicely: In the last four quarters, productivity has increased an average of 4.1%, up from average growth of 2.9% in the previous four, according to a UBS report.
Sales per store is a key (and perhaps obvious) indicator when it comes to predicting where and when a retailer might reduce its physical footprint. Over the last 12 months, retailers have shuttered about 1,000 net stores, compared to about 5,000 net closures over the previous 12 months. That easing was helped along by topline improvements last year, and those would have to be sustained to stave off further closures, UBS said.
